13 những sinh vật lạ mà chúng ta chưa bao giờ biết

Wildlife never ceases to astonish us with its diversity. You’ve probably never even heard of many of the creatures living on our planet, while their appearance will make your eyebrows go all the way up.

We at Bright Side decided to create our own little “zoo” with rare and unusual critters. And at the end of the article, you’ll see something that will definitely lift your spirits!

13. Tarsier

These cute little primates live in Southeast Asia. Their size is just about 3 to 6 inches, and their huge yellow eyes and long fingers make you go “awww.” It’s a bit sad they can’t be domesticated because they can only survive in the wild.

12. White lion

White lions aren’t a separate subspecies. These animals have a genetic disorder that makes their coat lighter than that of other predators. You can sometimes see them in South Africa, but more often than not it’s a question of selection. One thing is for certain, though: they’re amazingly handsome.

11. Axolotl

The axolotl is probably the strangest critter you can have in your fish tank. Large external gills make these Mexican amphibians incredibly cute. Today they’re mostly bred in captivity and rarely met in the wild. Adult axolotls are about an inch long but have a superpower: they can regenerate their gills, tail, and even limbs.

10. Thorny devil

Thorny devils are lizards unique to Australia. Thanks to the thorns on its head that play the role of a false head, it easily fools both its enemies and its victims. Horny devils are gluttons: a single lizard can eat several thousand ants a day.

9. Pygmy marmoset

These charming primates don’t grow bigger than 6 inches and can probably be considered the smallest of the species. They inhabit the South American rainforests and live mostly in the trees.

8. Blob fish

This one is perhaps the weirdest deep-sea fish in the world that, thanks to its homeliness, became an Internet meme. It lives at depths of 2,400 feet, and its density is much less than that of water, so it can swim without any effort. By the way, in Asia, its meat is considered a delicacy.

7. Cherax pulcher

This species of crayfish is easily the most beautiful: the cherax’s shell is rainbow-colored and looks like a picture from outer space. However, the unusual appearance is about all that makes this crayfish different from its relatives. Unfortunately, the population of these amazing creatures has dropped dramatically recently.

6. Japanese spider crab

This one may incite jitters even in an experienced diver: such crabs are among the biggest of their kind and reach weights of 40 pounds, with their front legs spanning almost 10 feet. Spider crabs feed on mollusks and the remains of animals and live up to 100 years.

5. Stove pipe sponge

These sponges take the shape of tube formations that can look pretty awesome at the right angle. A single tube can grow up to 5 feet high and 3 inches thick, and it never stops growing until it dies after hundreds of years.

4. Aye-aye

This curious beastie is endemic to the north of Madagascar. Fluffy aye-ayes are modest in size but feature a furry tail of almost 2 feet in length. Incidentally, they’ve made their appearance in a famous cartoon: remember Maurice? That’s the one.

3. Lesser mouse-deer

These animals are the smallest yet the most ancient even-toed ungulates in the world. Their height is only about 10 inches. They’re easy to frighten and lead a nocturnal life. An interesting fact: in Asian folklore, these critters are considered very sly — just like foxes in Europe.

2. Frill-necked lizard

If dragons really existed, they would probably look a lot like these lizards — just look at that giant fold on their necks. Despite their modest size, frill-necked lizards are excellent hunters, standing upright on their back claws and hissing with their frills open. A scary sight!

1. Potoo

These birds have a peculiar broad beak that helps them catch insects in flight. A wide-eyed, open-mouthed potoo is a picture you won’t be able to forget for a long time. Unfortunately, it’s quite hard to see because of its excellent forest camouflage.